The Hindu newspaper not published for first time due to Chennai floods

Chennai: For the first time in the last 137 years, The Hindu newspaper was not printed on Wednesday.

The Hindu was started in Chennai (then Madras) in 1878. Since its inception it had never missed printing the daily newspaper.

But heavy rains and flooding in Chennai and surrounding areas prevented the workers from reaching its press located 30 km from the city in Maraimalainagar. As a result, the Wednesday issue was not printed.

The rains have caused havoc in the Chennai and surrounding districts. Army personnel have been deployed in the affected areas for rescuing thousands of stranded people.

In a letter to Modi, the text of which was released to the media here, Jayalalithaa said the supplementary memorandum reflects the damage caused during the fourth spell of rainfall and the consequent floods in the first week of December.

Including the earlier request of Rs.8,481 crore towards relief and restoration of flood-affected areas, the total amount of central funds the state needs was around Rs.25,912 crore.

Stressing the state government’s commitment to rebuilding the infrastructure and reducing people’s distress, Jayalalithaa said the costs were huge and difficult for the state government to meet, after the loss of tax revenue due to the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission.

Pointing out that the floods in Tamil Nadu have already been declared a “calamity of severe nature”, Jayalalithaa requested Modi to instruct the union home ministry and other concerned ministries to consider the state’s two memoranda for an assistance of Rs.25,912 crore.

She urged Modi for an immediate release of Rs.2,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund.

Heavy rains — the worst in a century — battered Chennai and adjoining Kanchipuram, Cuddalore and Thiruvallur districts in the past month resulting in unprecedented floods. Nearly 390 people lost their lives due to the rains.

On November 23, Jayalalithaa sent a memorandum to Modi asking for central funding of Rs.8,481 crore towards flood relief and an immediate relief of Rs.2,000 crore.

Subsequently, a central government team surveyed the flood destruction.

Even after the team’s visit, heavy rains continued to hit the four districts.

During Modi’s recent visit, he announced a relief of Rs.1,000 crore in addition to the earlier Rs.940 crore.

According to Jayalalithaa, the Rs.940 crore included Rs.133.79 crore of arrears from 2014-15 towards the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs.254.62 crore towards the second instalment of SDRF for current fiscal.(IANS)